1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a gutter protection system.
2. Description of the Background Art
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,557,891, and 5,660,001 to Albracht, numerous gutter protection systems, and methods of their use, have been devised which, when mounted to gutters at lower edges of sloped building roofs, to greater or lesser degrees prevent debris from entering thereinto, while allowing the entry of rain water. However, all such prior systems, including those in the previous Albracht ""891 and ""001 patents, suffer from at least some complication regarding installation in that mounting screws, or interfacing clips etc. are required. A need remains for a gutter protection system which is snap-on easy to install. The present invention provides such a system, and method of its use.
A gutter protection system is provided according to a first aspect of the invention. The gutter protection system comprises a gutter cover having a length and having an upper portion positioned over a roof and a lower portion for being positioned over the gutter, with the lower portion having a nose portion, the nose portion including a return portion that is bent downward and backward substantially toward a center region of the gutter to guide a water stream into the gutter, and at least one projection positioned between the lower and upper portions, and a bracket for holding the gutter cover in relation to the gutter, the bracket having a lower portion engaging the gutter and an upper portion extending above the gutter and engaging the lower portion of the gutter cover, the lower portion of the bracket having a rear leg having a substantially vertical portion adapted to be positioned against the rear wall of the gutter and a front leg positioned within the front lip of the gutter, the upper portion of the bracket having a nose piece fitting inside the nose portion of the gutter cover, and the bracket having a cover retaining lip on a rear region of the upper portion, the cover retaining lip engages the at least one projection of the gutter cover, wherein the bracket holds the gutter cover in position in relation to the gutter so that the upper portion of the gutter cover is positioned over a roof and the lower portion of the gutter cover is positioned over the gutter at a predetermined angle, and wherein the at least one projection of the gutter cover engages the cover retaining lip of the bracket while the nose portion of the gutter cover fits over the nose piece of the bracket so that the gutter cover is held at two points on the bracket.
A gutter protection system is provided according to a second aspect of the invention. The gutter protection system comprises a gutter having a length, front and rear walls, a gutter front lip extending backward from the front wall into the gutter, and a bottom surface, with the rear wall including a rear wall top lip and the front wall including a front wall top lip, a gutter cover having a length and having an upper portion positioned over a roof and a lower portion for being positioned over the gutter, with the lower portion having a nose portion, the nose portion including a return portion that is bent downward and backward substantially toward a center region of the gutter to guide a water stream into the gutter, and at least one projection positioned between the lower and upper portions, and a bracket for holding the gutter cover in relation to the gutter, the bracket having a lower portion engaging the gutter and an upper portion extending above the gutter and engaging the lower portion of the gutter cover, the lower portion of the bracket having a rear leg having a substantially vertical portion adapted to be positioned against the rear wall of the gutter and including a clip having a throat leading to a wider portion, the lower portion further having a front leg positioned within the front lip of the gutter, the upper portion of the bracket having a nose piece fitting inside the nose portion of the gutter cover, and the bracket having a cover retaining lip on a rear region of the upper portion, the cover retaining lip engages the at least one projection of the gutter cover, wherein the bracket holds the gutter cover in position in relation to the gutter so that the upper portion of the gutter cover is positioned over a roof and the lower portion of the gutter cover is positioned over the gutter at a predetermined angle, and wherein the at least one projection of the gutter cover engages the cover retaining lip of the bracket while the nose portion of the gutter cover fits over the nose piece of the bracket so that the gutter cover is held at two points on the bracket.
A gutter protection system is provided according to a third aspect of the invention. The gutter protection system comprises, as viewed in left side elevation, when mounted to a sloped roof building and beginning at the left side thereof,
a first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2), which first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2) merges into a lip, the lip providing a length of construction material which projects downward and to the left, the lip, at the position of its merging from the first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2) being functionally merged into a length of construction material (4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade, the length of construction material (4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) grade being merged into a into a following downward and to the left projecting length of construction material (6), which merges into a short upward length of construction material (7).
A gutter protection system is provided according to a fourth aspect of the invention. The gutter protection system comprises, as viewed in left side elevation, when mounted to a sloped roof building and beginning at the left side thereof,
an upward and to the right projecting length of construction material (1) at the left side thereof, which is merged into the first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2), the first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2) bing merged into a lip, the lip providing a length of construction material which projects downward and to the left, the lip at the position of its merging from the first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2) being functionally merged into a length of construction material (4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade, the length of construction material (4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade being merged into a into a following downward and to the left projecting length of construction material (6), which merges into a short upward projecting length of construction material (7);
wherein the lip is formed by merging from the first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2) into a downward and to the left projecting length of construction material which is merging into an upward and to the right projecting length of construction material which merges into the length of construction material (4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade;
wherein the length of construction material (4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade is merged into the following downward and to the left projecting length of construction material (6) by an intervening length of construction material (5) which is of a shape selected from the group consisting of: (at least one curved length of construction material, at least one straight length of construction material and a combination of at least one curved length of construction material and at least one straight length of construction material);
wherein, in use, the gutter protection system is mounted to an underlying gutter system, which as viewed in left side elevation, comprises a vertical back at the left side, which an essentially vertical back is affixed to a wall of a building which has a sloped roof, the gutter system further comprising an essentially horizontal bottom which merges from the essentially vertical back via a bottom ninety (90) degree bend, and the essentially horizontal bottom projecting to where, at a right side of the essentially horizontal bottom, one or more lengths of gutter material of shapes selected from the group consisting of: (straight and curved), project to a point where an upper right side ninety (90) degree bend is horizontally offset from the essentially vertical back and vertical offset from the essentially horizontal bottom;
the gutter protection system being mounted to the gutter system by way of at least one mounting bracket, the at least one mounting bracket being comprised of at least two xe2x80x9csnap-pointsxe2x80x9d, which xe2x80x9csnap-pointsxe2x80x9d mate with the lip and short upward projecting length of construction material (7) respectively in use, and force the length of construction material (4) to project downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade;
the mounting bracket, in use, being secured by contact with both the bottom ninety (90) degree bend and the upper right side ninety (90) degree bend of the gutter system, such that a gap between the following downward and to the left projecting length of construction material (6) of the gutter projection system, and the nearest aspect of the upper right side ninety (90) degree bend of the gutter system is one-half (xc2xd) inch of less.
A gutter protection system is provided according to a fifth aspect of the invention. The gutter protection system comprises a gutter, a gutter cover, and a bracket secured to a fascia board of a building under a roof line, having a first means for supporting the gutter thereon, and a second means for supporting the gutter cover thereon in a location covering a top of the gutter and allowing water flow from the roof to be directed into the gutter.
A gutter protection system installation method of installing a bracket of the gutter protection system is provided according to a sixth aspect of the invention. The method comprises the steps of positioning a bracket in a gutter in a placement wherein the bracket is not substantially transverse to the gutter, and a lowermost portion of the bracket is in contact with a bottom surface of the gutter, and rotating the bracket until the bracket is substantially transverse to the gutter and a frontmost portion of the bracket is in contact with a front wall of the gutter.
A gutter protection system installation method of installing a bracket and a gutter cover of the gutter protection system is provided according to a seventh aspect of the invention. The method comprises the steps of positioning a bracket in a gutter in a placement wherein the bracket is not substantially transverse to the gutter, and a lowermost portion of the bracket is in contact with a bottom surface of the gutter, rotating the bracket until the bracket is substantially transverse to the gutter and a frontmost portion of the bracket is in contact with a front wall of the gutter, placing a nose portion of the gutter cover over a nose piece of the bracket, and inserting a projection of the gutter cover into a cover retaining lip of the bracket.
A gutter protection system installation method of installing a gutter and a bracket of the gutter protection system is provided according to an eighth aspect of the invention. The method comprises the steps of affixing a rear leg of the bracket to a roof structure, the rear leg including a clip, moving a rear wall of the gutter up into the clip of the bracket, the rear wall including a rear wall top lip that snaps into and is removably retained by the clip, and moving a front wall of the gutter up and over a front leg of the bracket, the front wall including a front wall top lip that snaps over and is removably retained by the front leg.
A gutter protection system installation method of installing a gutter protection system is provided according to a ninth aspect of the invention. The method comprises the steps of
a. providing a building or the like which has a sloped roof which has a gutter system affixed thereto at a lower edge of the sloped roof;
b. providing a gutter protection system comprising, as viewed in left side elevation, when mounted to a sloped roof building and beginning at the left side thereof:
an upward and to the right projecting length of construction material (1) at the left side thereof, which is merged into a first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2), the first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2) being merged into a lip, the lip providing a length of construction material which projects downward and to the left, the lip, at the position of its merging from the first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2) being functionally merged into a length of construction material (4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade, the length of construction material(4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade being merged into a into a following downward and to the left projecting length of construction material (6), which merges into a short upward projecting length of construction material (7);
wherein the lip is formed by merging from the first downward and to the right projecting length of construction material (2) into a downward and to the left projecting length of construction material which is merging into an upward and to the right projecting length of construction material which merges into the length of construction material (4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade;
wherein the length of construction material (4) which projects downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade is merged into the following downward and to the left projecting length of construction material (6), by an intervening length of construction material (50 which is of a shape selected from the group consisting of: (at least one curved length of construction material, at least one straight length of construction material and a combination of at least one curved length of construction material and at least one straight length of construction material);
wherein, in use, the gutter protection system is mounted to the underlying gutter system, which as viewed in left side elevation, comprises a vertical back at the left side, which an essentially vertical back is affixed to a wall of a building which has a sloped roof, the gutter system further comprising an essentially horizontal bottom which merges from the essentially vertical back via a bottom ninety (90) degree bend, and the essentially horizontal bottom projecting to where, at a right side of the essentially horizontal bottom, one or more lengths of gutter material of shapes selected from the group consisting of:
(straight and curved), project to a point where an upper right side ninety (90) degree bend is formed, which upper right side ninety (90) degree bend is horizontally offset from the essentially vertical back and vertical offset from the essentially horizontal bottom;
the gutter protection system, in use, being mounted to the gutter system by way of at least one mounting bracket, the at least one mounting bracket being comprised of at least two xe2x80x9csnap-pointsxe2x80x9d, which xe2x80x9csnap-pointsxe2x80x9d mate with the lip and short upward projecting length of construction material (7)n respectively in use, and force the length of construction material (4) to project downward and to the right at a nominal fifteen (15%) percent grade;
the mounting bracket, in use, being secured by contact with both the bottom ninety (90) degree bend and the upper right side ninety (90) degree bend of the gutter system, such that a gap between the following downward and to the left projecting length of construction material (6) of the gutter protection system, and the nearest aspect of the upper right side ninety (90) degree bend of the gutter system is one-half (xc2xd) inch or less;
c. Placing the at least one mounting bracket into the gutter system and using a rotational motion, about a vertically oriented axis, securing the mounting bracket in place in the gutter system such that it is snugly held in place by contact with both the bottom ninety (90) degree bend and the upper right side ninety (90) degree bend of the gutter system;
d. Positioning a gutter protection system atop the at least one mounting bracket, and using a pushing motion causing the lip thereof to mate with the xe2x80x9csnap-pointxe2x80x9d of the mounting bracket, and the short upward projecting xe2x80x9csnap-pointxe2x80x9d of the mounting bracket;
such that the left side of the gutter protection system contacts the roof of the sloped roof building by a selection from the group consisting of: (atop shingles and under shingles); and
such that a gap between the following downward and to the left projecting length of construction material (6) of the gutter protection system, and the nearest aspect of the upper right side ninety (90) degree bend of the gutter system is one-half (xc2xd) inch or less.